Adobe has recently made a decision to not make the Photoshop 7 SDK available publicly from its website; but however, is offering the SDK to registered members of the Adobe Solutions Network (starting at $200/year): \"The Photoshop SDK contains Adobe-owned intellectual property and for that reason, Adobe needs to capture and verify contact information for every party that desires to use this developer kit for business or personal use. Initially, this is the only way Adobe can be certain of the identity of people downloading the SDK.\" Previously, the company had made the SDK available for download via its Website--without requiring developers to pay a registration fee.

Mac users tend to be better educated, wealthier and more Web-savvy than their Windows counterparts, a Nielsen/NetRatings study suggests. The report, based on a survey of online users, says that 70.2 percent of Mac users have a college degree, compared with 54.2 percent of the online community. Mac users are also more likely to enter into entrepreneurial ventures such as Web development. Moreover, Nielsen/NetRatings indicates that Mac owners are less likely to play online games, and 53 percent more likely to seek advice from online reviews, compared to PC users.

Finale and Encore software users can now switch to the Sibelius Group\'s Sibelius 2 Music Notation Software for $180, as a part of competitive upgrade program. The developer hopes to sway users to its music software by promoting an array of specialized features -- most notably Mac OS X compatibility. Sibelius 2 is \"the first major\" music application to take advantage of OS X.

Apple\'s new Print and save [pdf] promotion offers a free Epson Stylus Photo 820 printer or a $100 rebate twoard any other Epson Photo printer with an MSRP of $100 or more with the purchase of any Mac. The promo is available at Online and Retail Apple Stores and expires September 30, 2002.

Microsoft today released Outlook Express 5.0.5, an update to its free email client for Mac OS 8/9. It includes support for MSN Web mail accounts and resolves all security vulnerabilities in previous versions of Outlook Express 5, including those that may have caused Outlook Express to stop responding or caused a memory problem that compromised the security of the computer. It is available in a variety of localized languages.

Microsoft Game Studios announced today development of the PC and Macintosh
versions of the critically acclaimed Xbox first-person shooter, Halo: Combat Evolved. The Mac version, which will be developed concurrently with the PC version, will be ported by Westlake Interactive and published by Destineer. It is also expected to be available in 2003.

XLR8 is now bundling the Econ Technologies\' ImageCaster with the new InterView 2.1 package, the software package for its InterView device, which converts analog video to high-quality compact digital video through a USB connection. ImageCaster offers an OS X Cocoa webcasting solution compatible with almost any video source for any OS X computer. InterView 2.1 also includes QuickTime 5 (as wel as QuickTime 6 compatibility), Strata Videoshop 4.5 for movie editing, Interview TV, which allows you to connect your Mac to a DVD player or VCR for TV style full screen or floating display. Upgrades for all previous owners to v2.1 are $25.

Neo 712A, currently in alpha testing, is a Cocoa shadow client for the Kazaa network, a new file/music sharing network: \"it is not a real Kazaa client. Neo scans through IP ranges looking for Kazaa hosts, indexes their file list, and stores them locally on your hard drive.\"

Afternoon tech news: America Online has quietly begun testing AIM 5.0, which offers a new \"AIM Expressions\" feature that wraps a graphical skin around the messaging client; A a new security flaw in Internet Explorer, Outlook and Outlook Express could leave systems open to malicious code carried on Web pages or in e-mails (does not affect the Mac, as it relates only to ActiveX); and Hackers penetrated USA Today\'s Web site, replacing legitimate news stories on its home page and six other pages with phony stories riddled with spelling errors. [updated]

Youpi Key 1.7.1 is an update to the freeware automation and navigation utility that can run \"actions\" based on a keyboard-equivalent, menu item, or scheduled date. It can open files, cut & paste text, execute Unix commands, mimic mouse movements, simulate a keyboard action, run a script, and modify the settings of a Finder window. It adds an improved editor with multiple undo, multiple shortcut selection, and contextual help. Other changes include new timer options, the ability to stop actions while they run, and the ability to run a shortcut action serveral times. It is available in both French and English.

Softpress has released Freeway 3.5.5, which brings interface enhancements, better TrueTyppe and PostScript) font handling, faster ftp uploads, the ability to manipulate Flash MX files, support for Photoshop 7 plugins, smaller document sizes, and better support for Photoshop transparency, styled text, RTF documents, and Illustrator import. The $250 Web page layout application for Classic and OS X is also now available in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese localized versions. A free updater for registered users of v3.x and a 30-day trial are both available. [updater, trial]

Monaco Systems today announced MonacoEZcolor 2 for OS X, its ICC profiling software creates custom ICC profiles for monitors, scanners, and RGB and CMYK printers. The application offers the ability to fine-tune printer profiles, using the application\'s profile editing tools, which utilize its MonacoSENSOR colorimeter for accurate monitor calibration. It is a $30 upgrade to the $300 application. The $500 MonacoEZcolor 2 Bundle includes MonacoEZcolor as well as the MonacoSENSOR monitor colorimeter. It is expected to ship beginning July 22.

August Software today released an update to its Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Router that adds support for FileMaker Pro 6 on Mac OS X: \"The ODBC Router system now enables applications on Mac OS X, Classic Mac OS, Darwin, Windows and Linux to utilize virtually any SQL data source by way of a standard Windows NT/2K server and the well-supported ODBC drivers for Windows.\" Pricing for the ODBC Router starts at $100 with substantial discounts for public education and health services organizations.

BulkLoader 1.0 is a freeware downloading tool, which can download a series of sequentially numbered files at once: \"More and more tech documents, PDFs, images, online photos etc. are just numbered files without thoughtful filenames for each file.\" [Classic, OSX]

Podtext 2.0 is a free utility that can transfer text-based notes to an iPod. It supports the complete Macintosh character set, including characters used in German, French, Italian or other foreign languages and extends the text limit to 2000 characters (normally 1000 characters(. Version 2.0 can also split long notes into several files for storage on the iPod and can bring them together again for editing. It also adds a search engine and new preferences. [Classic, OSX]

OnTime 1.1 is an update to cosmicsoft\'s reminder utility for OS X. It features more intelligent sorting, uses the system sounds folder, and various internal improvements and optimizations. OnTime is $15 shareware; unregistered users are limited to 10 reminders and printing features are disabled.

Casady & Greene today announced iData Pro!, an updated version of InfoGenie, its database for tracking various types of information. The $40 application offers the ability to organize and manage data via freeform or field-based files, the ability to quickly search/locate information, print labels/envelopes, and archive email from Outlook Express, Netscape or Eudora email clients. Upgrades are $20 for InfoGenie 2 owners; and cross-grades for owners of competing products are $30. The company promises a free update with Palm connectivity in the near future. It is available for Classic and OS X.

Apple today announced it will provide live audio stream via QuickTime of its Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call on Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 5:00pm ET. Late last month, Apple warned of an revenue shortfall of about 10%, which it said was due to a nonexistent seasonal uplift in sales, soft demand, and a lagging global economy.

A MacNN reader notes that Ricoh has posted OS X drivers for its Caplio RR1, RDC-i700, and RDC-7 digital camers, but says that it will not be providing OS X support for the RDC-6000 and RDC-5000/5300 models and recommends that users use Classic to download photos.

POV-Ray 3.5 is a major update to the application for \"creating stunning three-dimensional graphics.\" Version 3.5, which brings OS X compatibility, adds support for multiple open source files, an improved Render Settings dialog, more preferences, and improved text editor, advanced search options with regex support, faster syntax coloring, new symbol coloring, and other enhancements. It is freely available along with the source code.

Griffin Technology\'s new iCurve is a clear laptop stand designed specifically for PowerBook and iBook computers: \"While iCurve could be mistaken for a modern art sculpture, its main purpose is to place a PowerBook or iBook in an ergonomically correct position when using the laptop as a permanent desktop computer.\" The company is taking pre-orders for the $40 stand now and is expecting to ship units in September.

Now AAPL Stock: 114.25 ( + 2.13 )

Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj

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Developer162d

Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket

The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]

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Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera

Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94

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Industry162d

Apple employees testing wheelchair features

New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa

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Troubleshooting163d

SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards

SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If

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Upgrades/storage163d

Apple's third-quarter results due July 26

Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm

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Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users

Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE